Category: Articles

the_goddess_morrigan_by_wintersmagic

Hymn to the Morrigan

by Isaac Bonewits

O Morrigan, we call your name Across the dusty years.
You speak to us, of blood and lust. You show us all our fears.
You are a goddess, old and wise. Of holy power you have no dearth.

 

Beneath your wings : Black, Red and White, We learn of death and birth.

You walk about, this ancient land, Your hungers raw and clear.
You make the crops, grow rich and strong, As well your geese and deer.
A flirting maid, a lusty hag, A mother of great girth :

 

Without the touch of your black wings, We cannot heal the earth.

You float upon, a blood red wave, Of swords and spears and knives.
Your voice inspires, fear and dread, That you’ll cut short our lives.
You try the warriors’, courage sore, Our inner souls unearth.

 

Without the touch of your red wings, We cannot know our worth.

You fly above the silver clouds, To Manannan’s shining Gate.
You lead the dead along that path, To meet our final fate.
The joke’s on us, we find within, A land of laughter and of mirth.

 

Without the touch of your white wings, We cannot have rebirth.

 

A Little Humor for Your Day – Beware of these new Computer Viruses

Beware of these new Computer Viruses:

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ADAM AND EVE VIRUS – Takes a couple of bytes out of your Apple.

AIRBAG VIRUS – Can only cause harm if you are a petite computer operator who sits too close to the screen. Provides a handy ON-OFF switch in most current release.

AIRLINE LUGGAGE VIRUS – You’re in Dallas, but your data is in Singapore.

Al Gore Virus – Claims that it is the Internet. Causes your computer to just keep counting and re-counting.

ALZHEIMER’S VIRUS – It makes your computer forget where it put your files.

APPLE VIRUS – Virus-8, originally planned as a revolutionary redesign of aging but classic virus software, had to be repackaged and simplified after the original attempt failed to keep up with rapidly shifting design goals. Fortunately, the current production version can infect older Macintoshes as well as the latest models.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER VIRUS v 1.0 – It terminates and stays resident. It’ll be back!

Arnold Schwarzenegger virus v 2.0 – Now widespread in California where it wiped out the Gray Davis virus and is terminating programs left and right in the state legislature’s computers.

AT&T VIRUS – Every three minutes it tells you what great service you are getting.

Bill Clinton Virus v 1.0 – It has a six inch hard drive and no memory. Freezes entire system due to unresolved memory conflicts.

Bill Clinton Virus v 2.0 – It tells you it’s executing any program you want, whether or not it’s on your computer.

Bill Clinton Virus v 3.0 – Fills you with the compulsion to cut wasteful government spending at the same time that it compels you to hop into an airplane for a $200.00 haircut at taxpayer expense.

Bill Clinton Virus v 4.0 – Mutates from region to region and we’re not exactly sure what it does.

Bill Clinton Virus v 5.0- Promises to give equal time to all processes- 50% to poor, slow processes; 50% to middle-class processes, and 50% to rich ones. This Virus protests your computer’s involvement in other computer’s affairs, even though it has been having one of its own for 12 years.

Bill Clinton virus v 6.0 – Automatically connects to every URL in your Internet browser’s list of bookmarks, then it tells you emphatically that your computer never made any connections…to any URL…because since it didn’t transmit and receive simultaneously, it wasn’t really connected.

BILL GATES VIRUS – This dominant strain searches for desirable features in all other viruses via the internet. It then either engulfs the competing viruses or removes their access to computers until they die out.

Bin Laden (aka Al Qaeda) virus – displays threatening messages and spawns numerous smaller viruses that periodically destroy files. The Bin Laden virus and its spawned viruses are being seen less and less frequently and may be becoming extinct due to the spread of the George W. Bush virus.

Birthday Virus – Keeps advancing your clock by another year.

BOB DOLE VIRUS – Could be virulent, but it’s been around too long to be much of a threat.

Bob Dole (aka Viagra) Virus – Makes a new hard drive out of an old floppy.

Bureaucrat Virus – Divides your hard disk into hundreds of little units, each of which does practically nothing, but all of which claim to be the most important part of your computer.

CHILD VIRUS – It constantly does annoying things, but is too cute to get rid of.

CONGRESSIONAL VIRUS v 1.0 – It runs every program on the hard drive simultaneously but doesn’t allow the user to accomplish anything.

Congressional Virus v 2.0 – Computer locks up, screen splits vertically with a message appearing on each half blaming the other side for the problem.

Congressional Virus v 3.0 – Overdraws your disk space.

Couch Potato Virus – Just sits there, eating chips all day.

DEMOCRAT VIRUS – Doesn’t allow you to delete inefficient programs or wasted disc space – if you try, it accuses you of being a “mean-spirited extremist”.

DIET VIRUS – Allows your hard drive to lose weight by eliminating the FAT table.

DISNEY VIRUS – Everything in the computer goes Goofy.

DOLLY PARTON VIRUS – It sounds pretty good, but you’d swear your monitor looks larger and have more knobs than it used to. DEFLATE.COM removes it.

DONALD TRUMP VIRUS – Harmless unless you use online banking.

ELLEN DEGENERES VIRUS v 1.0 – Your IBM suddenly claims it’s a MAC.

Ellen Degeneres Virus v 2.0 – Disks can no longer be inserted.

Elvis Virus – Your computer gets fat, slow and lazy and then self-destructs, only to resurface at shopping malls and service stations across rural America.

Federal Bureaucrat Virus – Divides your hard disk into hundreds of little units, each of which does practically nothing, but all of which claim to be the most important part of the computer.

Federal Reserve Virus – Affects performance of CDs.

Firestone Viruses – Causes mouse to explode after 10,000 miles. Flying toasters actually fly off your screen saver. Leaves chunks of its code all over the information highway.

Freudian Virus – Your computer becomes obsessed with marrying it’s own motherboard. Becomes very jealous of the size of your friend’s hard drive.

French virus – garbles some files and then displays a message asking you for help. If you click OK, it just garbles more files and asks for help again. If you click Cancel, it displays the message, “I surrender!” and shuts down your computer. If you click Ignore, it scans your computer for the German and Russian viruses. If the French, Russian, and German viruses find each other, they merge into a single virus that conflicts with the George W. Bush virus, slowing it down.

Gallup Poll Virus – 60% of the PC’s infected will lose 30% of their data 14% of the time (plus or minus a 3.5% margin of error).

GEORGE MICHAEL VIRUS – Runs its course, occasionally releasing excess data buildup.

Life As The Witch – Other Places To Gather Graveyard Dirt, Hmm..

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Yesterday’s article in regards to graveyard dirt brought many replies. I believe the most comment I received was in regards to not being close to a cemetery. Individuals living in big city, their cemetery relocated and had no way of obtaining graveyard dirt.

Yet named graveyard dirt, it can come from other places beside a graveyard. You can obtain dirt from certain buildings that will work just as well. Getting the dirt from a building is basically a give me. Consider what your needs are and then consider what kind of building correspondence. For example, a Law Office, the dirt would be used for justice, the same can be said for the dirt from a courthouse.

Below you will find examples of other places to obtain “graveyard” dirt. It will work just as well as dirt from a cemetery if you stop to think what kind of person you are taking the dirt from. And what kind of building are you taking it from.

*Note: Do not be obvious when collecting dirt from public places. Look around, stake our your surroundings, then find a nice, quiet place to collect your dirt.

Bank: Collect and use this dirt to bring money into your hands or to receive payment of a long overdue debt.

Church: This dirt is wonderful when used to invite the assistance of positive spiritual forces. It goes a long way toward protecting against evil spirits also.

Courthouse: Use this dirt for anything remotely involving legal matters. This could include contracts, court cases, general justice, and even money that’s owed to you. If your intent would benefit from the discerning eye of the Law, this is the dirt for you.

Educational Facility: Whether it comes from a school yard or a college campus, this dirt is excellent for efforts involving knowledge acquistion and retention. It can also be effective in magick to encourage study.

Enemy’s House: Gathering this dirt is a bit trickier and may involve some skulking around to collect. There’s no better way to cut your enemy off at the knees than to use dirt from his/her house against him. Unless you want to cause possible harm to everyone living on that property, be very careful how you word your spell.

Home:  This dirt is to protect all the occupant of your home and guarantee their safe return. The best way to accomplish this is to sprinkle a bit in every pair of shoes in the house. To ensure that someone else visits you again, sprinkle a bit in his or her shoes.

Hospital or Doctor’s office: Dirt from these locations are for efforts involving healing. There are a couple of things you should keep in mind. First, no magick in the world is a substitute for medical care or prescription medication. And second, be certain that healing is exactly what you have in mind when you add this dirt to magick.

Garden or Flower Shop: Often used in love spells, this dirt has the tendency to make love sprout and grow roots, bud and blossom. Unless you’re playing for keeps though, it’s inadvisable to add this dirt to magick.

Jail: Keep the police away from your door, especially if you are a criminal. It will make you invisible to the police and cause them to overlook a bench warrant, add hematite to the dirt.

Mall:  Attract large amounts of cash to yourself if you gather dirt from here. There’s nothing better than this type of dirt when used in efforts to obtain gainful employment or increase your cash flow.

Police Station: Dirt from this area is often collected and sprinkled along the baseboards of the home and along the edges of its structure to keep your family safe from harm. It is not a good idea to use this dirt if you’re involved in any sort of illegal activity because it will bring the police straight to you.

Workplace: There are lots of uses for this sort of dirt. It works great when included in spells for you getting a raise or promotion. It can also help you to foil a co-worker or for getting the dirt on the company

The Witches Correspondence for Monday, February 11th

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The Witches Correspondence for Monday, February 11th

 

Magickal Intentions: Psychic Sensitivity, Women’s Mysteries, Tides, Waters, Emotional Issues, Agriculture, Animals, Female Fertility, Messages, Theft, Reconciliations, Voyages, Dreams and Merchandise
Incense: African Violet, Honeysuckle, Myrtle, Willow, Wormwood
Planet: Moon
Sign: Cancer
Angel: Gabriel
Colors: Silver, White and Gray
Herbs/Plants: Night , Willow Root, Birch, Motherwort, Vervain, White Rose and White Iris
Stones: Carnelian, Moonstone, Aquamarine, Pearl, Clear Quartz, Flourite, Geodes
Oil: (Moon) Jasmine, Lemon, Sandalwood

Monday belongs to the Moon. Monday’s energy best aligns itself with efforts that deal with women, home and hearth, the family, the garden, travel, and medicine. It also boosts rituals involving psychic development and prophetic dreaming.

The Witches Almanac for Monday, February 11th

The Witches Almanac for Monday, February 11th

*Monday (Moon): Peace, sleep, healing, compassion, friends, psychic awareness, purification, and fertility*

Foundation Day (Japanese)

Waxing Moon

*The Waxing Moon (from the New Moon to the Full) is the ideal time for magick to draw things toward you.*

Moon Phase: First Quarter

Moon Sign: Pisces

*Pisces: The focus is on dreaming, nostalgia, intuition, and psychic impression. A good time for spiritual or philanthropic activities.

Incense: Clary sage

Color: White

 

 

Had a day were the negative vibes are about to eat you up, feel like you are covering in psychic grime and slime. Give this bath a try to remove all the grime from the day.

Vinegar Bath

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon salt

Add the ingredients to a warm tub of water, stir clockwise with your index finger until well mixed. Relax and enjoy your bath. When finished, air dry.

February 11th is Best for…..

Cut Firewood, Mow to increase Growth, Castrate Farm Animals, Dig Holes, Wean, Potty Train, Paint

Gardening Calendar

February 9th – February 11th

Barren Days. Fine for Clearing, Plowing, Fertilizing and Killing Plant Pests.

Your Fishing Calendar

February 11th  Fair in the Evening

Moon’s Astrological Place & Correspondence With Body

February 11th  Aquarius “Waterman”  In the Legs

More Good Week Comments

Monday, Monday, Oh It’s Monday Again! Happy & Blessed Monday To All The Witches Of The Craft!

Oh, well if you had a Monday like we are having around here, you might feel the same way. We have contractors running out of our ears. And to think this place was once so peaceful, AH! Hammers banging, wood being threw about, gee! We got up once and went to the other side of the building and be darned if they didn’t follow us over there. But at least we are getting everything fixed, FINALLY!

 

Now changing the subject, Mystie and myself had numerous animal calls this weekend. We had so many I am going to apply for the Animal Warden’s job before its over with, lol! But we are currently swamped with animal and needs some help. We are currently running low on baby bottles, formula, feed, cat food, straw and a few other things. We are in need of donations desperately. We have so many animals and any amount can help. You don’t realize how much cat food a $1.00 will buy. That is why we say no amount is too small and is always greatly appreciated. I have took some photos of our latest arrivals, so you can see were your donations are going and who they are benefiting.

Thank you so much for your help,

Lady A

 

hawkwithhurtwing Hawk recovering from arrow in wing

babydeer

Orphaned baby deer being fed with bottle

babypiglets

How we managed baby piglets I don’t know. They were found out in a field by theirselves and we were called.

 kittens

Mystie had their attention with a ribbon. Ain’t they adorable?

Now you see, we are desperately needing donations. Anything you can give, we will appreciate and so will the animals.

Thank you again.

More Monday Comments

Conjuring By Colors & The Serenity Spectrum

Conjuring By Colors

Color Magick is a basic tenet for working spells. The properties of each color determine how it impacts your mood, frame of mind, and the potency of your spell casting.

Be mindful of the color of the candle, gemstone, and flower you choose; carefully pick the hues of your clothing, furniture, and even the paint on the walls.

For example, if you are given to moodiness or anger, remove all RED from your home décor. If you are predisposed to melancholia, a VIOLET scheme may depress you.

 

The Serenity Spectrum

For a Peaceful Home

Burn blue candles on Thursday

To Overcome Fear

Burn red candles on Sunday

For Inner Peace

Burn silver candles on Monday

For Self-Confidence

Burn red candles on Sunday

For Physical Wellbeing

Burn green candles on Friday

To Overcome Regret or Guilt
Burn white candles on Wednesday

For Mental Clarity

Burn yellow candles on Wednesday

To Let Go Of Anger

Burn orange candles on Monday

For Success at Work

Burn green candles on Friday

 

Daily Aromatherapy Tip – Relief for Stressed Caused Migraines

Daily Aromatherapy Tip

Depending on the cause of migraines, some recommended Essential oils include the German & Roman Chamomile, Coriander, Clary Sage, Lavender, Marjoram, Melissa, Peppermint & even Eucalyptus, Basil & Rosemary.

For stress caused migraines here are a few ideas;
As soon as the symptoms begin, sprinkle two drops each of Marjoram, Lavender and
Peppermint and one drop of true Melissa onto a tissue or into a diffuser and inhale deeply about three times.

Add three drops each of Lavender & Eucalyptus into a half ounce of carrier oil and use to massage your forehead and behind your ears.

Or, add three drops each of Sweet Marjoram, Roman Chamomile and Lavender to a bath

brought to you by AromaThyme.com
Scent of the Month Club
http://www.aromathyme.com

A Little Humor for Your Day – Someone Might Be New To Paganism If…..

YOU KNOW SOMEONE IS NEW TO PAGANISM IF THEY THINK THAT…

CHRYSTAL CLEANSING is done with windex.

LAY LINES happen at the airports in Hawaii

A DOLMAN is a new brand of banana

APHRODITE is a type of pre-historic bird

CASTING is done with a fishing line or on a set in Hollywood

WHEEL OF FORTUNE is a game show with Vanna White

CYCLES have to do with your washing maching and when to add fabric softner

A BOOK OF SHADOWS contains shilouettes of friends and family members

ARCHETYPES are a type of building structure

A QUARTER is $.25 and buys a cop of coffee (and obviousily, these people have
not been out in awhile)

PAN is something to fry food in

The BLESSED BE is the God of Insects

The only way to get into a CIRCLE is to have the right of way

HANDFASTING is eating without utensils

A BRAZIER is support wear for women

CHARGING is done with a credit card or a battery

SKYCLAD is a shade of blue clothing

DEMETER is a place to park your car downtown

A TRAD is a type of geometric figure

Why Does The Chinese New Year Date Change Every Year?

Chinese New Year

By , About.com Guide

If you live in an area that has a Chinatown, chances are that at some point you’ve watched the Chinese New Year celebrations. However, Chinese New Year (also called the Spring Festival) doesn’t begin and end on a single weekend. Instead, the Spring Festival lasts a full fifteen days, with preparations beginning before the old year has come to a close. By the time the New Year arrives, families have already spent several days preparing for the big event; cleaning the house, buying gifts, and cooking festive foods.

People often wonder why the date for Chinese New Year changes each year. The Chinese calendar  is a combination solar/lunar calendar, based on a number of rather complex astronomical calculations, including the longitude of the sun. Chinese New Year falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice (all months begin with a new moon). In 2013, Chinese New Year Day falls on February 10th.

How did Chinese New Year come to be celebrated? According to an ancient legend, people were once tormented by a beast called a Nian – a ferocious creature with an extremely large mouth, capable of swallowing several people in a single bite. Relief from the Nian came only when an old man tricked the beast into disappearing. In reality, New Years festivities probably evolved from a desire to celebrate the end of winter and the fertility and rebirth that come with the spring, much like the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia. Today, New Years is about family reunions and wishing everyone good fortune in the coming year.

The Spring Festival is China’s major traditional holiday, and is also celebrated in other parts of Southeast Asia, including Vietnam (where New Year’s Day is called “Tet”), Malaysia, Taiwan, and of course, Hong Kong. However, in my research I couldn’t find any mention of Chinese New Year’s celebrations in Japan. Lisa Heupel, an expert on Japanese Culture, came up with a possible reason – apparently the Japanese followed the lunar calendar until the middle of the nineteenth century. However, after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, they adopted the Gregorian calendar. Since that time New Years is celebrated on January 1st. While there are other popular festivals celebrating the arrival of spring, such as Hanami or the cherry blossom viewing festival, for the most part Chinese New Year goes unnoticed in Japan, except for a few small celebrations by the Chinese who live there.

Your Guiding Animal Spirit for February 10th is The Loon

Your Animal Spirit for Today
    February 10, 2013 

loon

Loon

Loons mate for life, and their medicine is about loyalty, family, and deep caring for one another. If you’re experiencing a relationship fraught with power struggles, you are NOT practicing Loon medicine. If your relationship has BECOME a power struggle, Loon has appeared to remind you that this is a time of equal sharing and equal happiness. Something is amiss and Loon thinks you already know what it is.

Introducing…Aquarius

Introducing…Aquarius

One of the most common mistakes people make when discussing Aquarius is that they assume he/she is a water sign. After all, he/she is the water bearer. But the truth is he/she’s an Air sign and that’s an important detail!

To often you see Aquarius represented as the generic person pouring a jug of water or even worse just the jug of water. There is no hint to the intellectual and cerebral air quality of the Aquarian. As an air sign, she is focused on higher thinking and pushing the boundaries of common and closed thinking. If everyone is going one direction she will go the other in hopes of discovering a new and better way to meet the needs of the greater whole.

We started with a forward moving stance. She is a futuristic, forward thinking woman. Aquarians have no time to look or focus on the past, they focus on the future and believe that however something was done, it could be done differently or better going forward. Seeking to fight for justice and the underdog, our Aquarian is dressed and built to campaign for any cause she feels is under represented or oppressed. She also is a lover of technology and innovation. She is not afraid of technology or gadgets and widgets that can help better our lives. She is quick to adopt them to her arsenal of thought and solutions.

Her water jug is still a very important aspect of her character. Instead of her passively pouring water from it or carrying it on her head, we chose to have her securely sling it over her shoulder. This allows her to bring it into adverse or water starved situations. She knows that despite all the technology and advancements available, humans cannot survive without water. Water is the most powerful source of nourishment for our bodies and souls and Aquarians never lose sight of that. They know that higher thinking comes from well fueled minds – and the mind can be tricked or fooled if starved for water.

Physical Characteristics

Physically our Aquarian is in fighting shape but not because she likes to fight, rather she is about endurance. She relies on her ability to go long stretches of time without rest or nourishment and living solely off her creative vision. She is not a slave to fashion but definitely uses her cloths and accessories to express her inability to conform and desire to pioneer and blaze new trails of thought and visual innovation. She’s creative and a one of kind. Charged with technology she has a single strand of fiber optic hair lighting her way through dark and unchartered territories of thought.

Zodiac Super Power

Our Aquarian’s super power is her technology power hand and fighting physique. She has a leg up on the other signs of the Zodiac because she can see into the future and knows that there is almost always a “better way” to do or see things. Her water is magical and fuels even the most creatively starved thinkers€ are pushing stalled thought or injustice toward progress.

New Moon in Aquarius Horoscopes

New Moon in Aquarius Horoscopes

Fly free with February’s New Moon

Jeff Jawer    Jeff Jawer on the topics of new moon, moon, astrology, aquarius
 

Get ready for a spark of genius! The quirky Aquarius New Moon on February 10 ignites unusual ideas and increases the urge for freedom.

This brilliant energy will affect some people more than others.

Mental Mercury’s challenging square with expansive Jupiter encourages a wide range of thinking, but it can also raise optimism beyond reason. A square between Venus and Saturn suggests that limited resources or relationship issues need to be addressed before we can tap into the full potential of this innovative and liberating lunation.

 

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Friends and organizations can take you in a different direction with this Aquarius New Moon in your team-oriented 11th House of Groups. You may find inspiration while working for a cause or participating in a group project. Although you will probably be excited by a new idea, it’s best not to push it on others now. Do some research and let it simmer until you have studied it thoroughly before sharing it with the world.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

This cutting edge Aquarius New Moon lands in your 10th House of Career and Public Responsibility, where it can put additional obligations on your plate. The challenge is to adjust to changing conditions, rules or expectations that can take you out of your comfort zone. But if you’re ready to jump into the future, you can help to lead to way to breakthroughs in your professional life.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

You may want to hit the road with this New Moon in your 9th House of Travel and Higher Mind. Broadening your experiences through school, intellectual pursuits and connections with faraway places helps to satisfy your curious nature. Your ruling planet Mercury’s conjunction with impatient Mars can provoke impulsive action or careless words, so think twice before leaping or speaking.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Relationship boundaries might be stretched with the unconventional Aquarius New Moon in your 8th House of Deep Sharing. Attracting unusual people can be exciting if you’re willing to learn some different ways to connect. A flexible and open-minded attitude allows you to explore unfamiliar experiences that invite intimacy and can even help establish new business partnerships.

Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22)

The quirky Aquarius New Moon in your 7th House of Others attracts unconventional people. Relationships require more breathing space as you and your partner need more freedom. Keeping an open mind allows you to benefit from unique individuals who challenge your usual ways of thinking. Being friendly and open-minded prevents those differences from driving you apart.

Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22)

A fresh approach to work should make your daily routine more interesting now. The groundbreaking Aquarius New Moon lands in your 6th House of Employment, triggering changes on the job. Adjusting to surprises is a must because old systems may no longer be effective. It’s healthier to adapt and prepare for the future than to stubbornly stick to outmoded ways of doing business.

Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22)

Fun and games are on the agenda with this lively lunation in your 5th House of Romance and Self-Expression. The inventive Aquarius New Moon puts a sparkle in your eye and enhances your creative capacities. This is a time to be a performer, even if you’re shy and uncertain. The support of a friend will help you come across with more confidence in your personal and professional lives.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21)

It’s never too late to change the past’s influence on you. The experimental Aquarius New Moon occurs in your 4th House of Family and Personal History, giving you a fresh perspective that can free you from old ideas and influences. This is a time to plant seeds for a more inspiring future, perhaps encouraging you to consider relocation or making a major change in your professional life.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21)

Bright ideas are popping with this brainy Aquarius New Moon in your 3rd House of Information. Lively conversations can open your mind to radically different concepts that spur you to learn even more. Enthusiasm can add passion to your words, but try to keep your messages relatively simple. It’s easy to say too much and complicate matters when you don’t adjust your speech to your audience.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19)

The impulse to experiment triggered by this Aquarius New Moon lands in your 2nd House of Self-Worth, where fresh ideas about earning money can arise. It’s important to see yourself in a new light to cash in on this potential opportunity. You have undeveloped abilities that require an investment of time and energy, but even more importantly, faith in your ability to reinvent yourself.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18)

This unconventional New Moon in your sign lights up your personality. Taking chances with your appearance and approach is worthwhile, even if you’re uncertain how others are going to react. You can’t please everyone, but it’s essential that you please yourself. If you’re having fun, that’s the best way to make you more attractive in personal relationships and in professional matters.

Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20)

A change of direction in your spiritual path is possible with this New Moon in your 12th House of Divinity. It’s a time to renew faith in your current beliefs with a fresh perspective or to recognize how they limit you. Exploring different sources of inspiration, both religiously and creatively, renews your sense of purpose. Freeing yourself from sacrificial roles is also appropriate.

Calendar of the Moon for February 10th

Calendar of the Moon

11 Nion/Anthesterion

Anthesteria Day 1: Pithogia

Color: Purple
Element: Earth
Altar: On a purple cloth set a bottle of wine that has not yet been opened (preferably last year’s homemade), a chalice of water, many cups, a wreath of pruned grapevines, and three purple candles. All should enter the sanctuary bearing the model of a Greek ship with purple sails, entwined with grapevines, which should be carried with all ceremony to the altar and set thereon.
Offerings: Libations of wine to Dionysos. Opening yourself to experiencing Him.
Daily Meal: Goat or lamb. Lentils. Greek food. Wine.

Pithogia Invocation:

Behold the ship of Dionysos!
He sails into each safe harbor
Like a wind of change that cannot be denied.
Be warned, you who have become
Too comfortable, for he will cast up
Your safe life and show you
All the thorns you have pretended not to see.
Honor the god of the Lesser Madness
Lest the Greater Madness swallow you whole!
Taste his gift and wonder, that raw juice
Left to age can slowly ferment
And turn into that which gives delight
And terror both.
Tremble, for he is coming for you!
Whether you drink his gift
Or give it back to him,
It matters not; your days of
Blind unquestioning comfort
Are numbered none, and end today.

(Each comes forward and selects a cup, into which is poured equal parts water and wine. Each may taste of the wine, if they wish, and then pour out the rest as a libation, or they may pour it out entirely. As the pour the libation, each says, “Io Dionysos!” The ship remains in the sanctuary for three days, until Anthesteria is over.)

Chant:
Flower of the vine
King of the wine
Dancer in the soul
We gladly pay your toll

 

[Pagan Book of Hours]

Calendar of the Sun for February 10th

Calendar of the Sun

10 Solmonath

Anahita’s Day

Colors: Black and silver
Element: Air
Altar: Lay a cloth of black studded with silver stars, and on it set many white candles, and a great six-pointed silver star, a chalice of white wine, and a tray of star-shaped cookies.
Offerings: Paper stars written with reasons to hope.
Daily Meal: Star-shaped breads and cakes. Vegetables sliced into stars. Cold raw food..

Invocation to Anahita

Lady of the Morning Star
Who sings us awake
With a song of hope
For the daily road ahead,
Never let us fail
In our ability to keep faith.
Lady of the Evening Star
Who sings us to sleep
With a song of peace
For the nightly struggle,
Never let us fail
In our ability to dream.
Lady of the starry sky
Whose womb birthed the universe
That we might one day come to be,
Never let us fail
In our ability to hope
For the future of this world.

Chant: Ai ya Ai ya Anahita Anahita

(One who is chosen to do the work of the ritual comes forth with the cakes and passes them around, saying, “Taste matter and manifestation.” Then s/he comes forth with the white wine and passes it around, saying, “Taste the spirit that brings it to life.” The rest is given as a libation . Afterwards, all present place their paper stars on the altar and meditate on hope.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]

Life As The Witch – Getting that Graveyard Dirt & Dealing With Those Spirits

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I have had several people ask me about graveyard dirt recently. How to collect it? What grave do I get it from? I have answered these questions in extent. But when it come to dealing with the Spirit world, I don’t want to take any chances that I might have been misunderstood or didn’t emphasis the importance of a certain area. Due to this fact, I ran across an article in a book by a Pagan Author I greatly admire, Dorothy Morrison. She also discusses this subject very thoroughly. I hope you enjoy this excerpt from her book, “Utterly Wicked, Curses, Hexes or Other Unsavory Notions”

Graveyard Dirt and Dealing With Spirits

Taking graveyard dirt without permission is much like breaking into someone’s home and stealing their possessions. And if you did that on the physical plane, the only help you’d get from the injured part would be a one-way trip to jail. The same is true of the spiritual realm. Yeah, I know that spirits don’t necessarily live in the dirt in the cemetery. However, that dirt comprises the final resting place of the body it left behind. That means that its energy is in that dirt. And to take that without permission is to take the only possession it has left. Go that route and one thing’s for sure: Jail time is going to be the least of your worries.

You also need to remember that asking permission is not enough. Some sort of relationship must be formed with the spirit before proceeding. And depending upon the spirit and your individual needs, this could take a few minutes or several days. You also need to be prepared for the possibility that you’re not going to be able to form a relationship at all. The reasons for this are many—personality clash, little or no common ground, or an objection to your desires, just to name a few—but in this case, none of that really matters. What does matter is that you don’t push the issue. Just thank the spirit for its time, and continue your search.

Once you do find a spirit that’s willing to help you (and you will), payment for the dirt is not enough. Mind your manners, be polite, and thank it for its assistance. Bring it an extra token of appreciation. You never know when you might need its help again, and no one—living, dead, or otherwise—is going to be willing to offer support of any kind if you can’t even be bothered with common courtesy.

Of course, if a spirit really likes you—if you’ve been kind and courteous and gone the extra mile—it may decide to hang around you, whether you want it to or not. To avoid this, offer it a piece of black onyx as a parting gift once your goal is achieved. (It’s the stone of separation and will sever your connections peaceably.) And if you need the spirit’s assistance again? Not a problem. Just go back to visit, and be assured that it will remember you.

Reference:

Excerpt from:

“The Real Dirt on the Quick and the Dead”
Utterly Wicked
Curses, Hexes or Other Unsavory Notions
by Dorothy Morrison

The Witches Correspondence for Sunday, February 10th

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The Witches Correspondence for Sunday, February 10th

Magickal Intentions: Growth, Advancements, Enlightenment, Rational Thought, Exorcism, Healing, Prosperity, Hope, Exorcism, Money
Incense: Lemon, Frankincense
Planet: Sun
Sign: Leo
Angel: Michael
Colors: Gold, Yellow, Orange and White
Herbs/Plants: Marigold, Heliotrope, Sunflower, Buttercup, Cedar, Beech, Oak
Stones: Carnelian, Citrine, Tiger’s Eye, Amber, Clear Quartz and Red Agate
Oil: (Sun) Cedar, Frankincense, Neroli, Rosemary

 

The first day of the week is ruled by the Sun. It is an excellent time to work efforts involving business partnerships, work promotions, business ventures, and professional success. Spells where friendships, mental or physical health, or bringing joy back into life are an issue work well on this day, too.